Attachment for collapsible tubes



June 6, 1939. A, JUNG ATTACHMENT FOR COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Filed Dec. 21, 1938 Patented June 6,1939

UNITED STATES ATTACHMENT FOR.

COLLAPSIBLE TUBES Albert R. Jung, Flushing, N. Y., asslgnor to Victor Metal Products Corporation, Brook!!! N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 21, 1938, Serial No. 247,118

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to devices for use in association with the ends of collapsible tubes to take up those portions of the tubes which have been emptied of their contents and more particularly to attachments which may be applied to the ends of the tubes.-

Collapsible tubes containing matter to be used for hygienic purposes such as toothpaste, shaving cream, cold cream, petroleum jelly and the like find themselves in medicine cabinets practically universally and though their appearance is quite attractive and tidy when the tube is full, yet upon use of the material within the tubes, the discharge of which material is generally eifected by pressing the tube with the fingers, the tubes take on an untidy and unsightly configuration and further take up a relatively great amount of room on the relatively small shelves of the conventional medicine cabinet. Many users of such 2o tubes content themselves with simply bending the end of the tube several times to effect take up and thereby make room upon their medicine cabinet shelves for other necessary articles. This method is unsightly and time consuming. Prior to the instant invention, collapsible tube take up attachments have been utilized in connection with the ends of some collapsible tubes including key like elements similar to those used in connection with the opening of conventional sardine cans, the longitudinal slit in the wirelike stem of the devices being slipped over the end of the collapsible tube and the key wound up to both effect discharge from and take up the end of the collapsible tube. Other prior devices have included slit metal cylinders fabricated of sheet material of uniform thickness. Theselatter devices are slipped over the end of the tube and the tube taken up by winding. These prior devices have been found generally unsatisfactory, the key type being bulky having a protruding handle and the discharge that is effected by the device is not effectively controlled in accordance with the de- I sires of theuser as the discharge might be controlled if the user were to use his or her fingers The metal cylinder type of take up attachment has been found to be generally unsatisfactory in that there is a tendency for the attachment to become detached'from the collapsible tube prematurely and when not detached to become loose. Some of the prior tubular roll-up attachments have been fabricated of spring material to effect better engagement with the end of the tube and though such arrangements have been found to be more satisfactory than those not made of spring material, yet they are subject to being distorted and rendered not useful and further they being fabricated of metal require decoration to match the decoration on the collapsible tube before it can be marketed which is relatively expensive requiring an additional operation.

It is an object of the instant invention to provide a collapsible tube take up attachment of simple construction and but relatively inexpensive to manufacture and of a nature permitting its securance to the end of a collapsible tube without 10 fear of premature dislodgement.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a-roll-up attachment of sturdy construction of a material which may inherently have a desired color.

Other objects and the nature and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of a completely go filled collapsible tube to the end of which is applied a take up attachment;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same tube with some of the material discharged and the take up attachment rolled up within the endof the tube; 25

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the take up attachment;

Fig. 4 is a side view of a collapsible tube end and the roll-up attachment; and,

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along lines 5-5 30 of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawing, a collapsible tube Ill of conventional configuration has applied to it at its end a rollable cylindrical take up attachment :5

II which may be applied to the end II of the tube I0 by sliding the end of the tube through the slit I3 of the attachment H, the V-shaped initial portion I3 of the slit l3 serving as a starting place, whereupon the end of the tube will be housed within the eccentric cylindrical chamber l4 and the collapsible tube firmly engaged by the jaws l 5 and I6, respectively, of the attachment II.

The take up attachment II is preferably fabricated of a synthetic plastic of a color suitably matching the decoration of the collapsible tube l0 and may be cut or molded to a section illustrated in Fig. 5 involving a generally exterior circle 11, an eccentric interior circle l8, and a slit like opening l3 at that place where the interior circle I8 is closest to the exterior circle ll. This information has been found to be relatively sturdy and to provide an essential spring action so that-when the end of the collapsible tube is inserted between the jaws l5 and it they will ll be held securely therebetween, the jaws having a marked tendency to resume their original almost touching position.

The synthetic material of the attachment may be Bakelite or other similar material and the proportions which have been found to give the best results involve an exterior diameter of approximately 1.05 to 2.0 times that of the interior diameter which in turn has a radius approximating one third to two thirds of the length of the end l2 of the tube III which is to be inserted within the attachment ll. These proportions have been found not only to give a very satisfactory spring to the attachment which is quite essential to its usefulness but also the proper rolling leverage to facilitate the ready take up of the tube end.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in this device without departing from the spirit of the invention and therefore the invention is not limited to what is shown in the drawing and described in the specification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A collapsible tube end take up attachment comprising a generally cylindrically formed plastic having a section including a relatively large exterior circle and an eccentrically arranged smaller interior circle and an opening at the place where the interior circle is closest to the exterior circle, whereby the attachment has the necessary spring to securely hold the end of a collapsible tube and lends itself to ready and-neat engagement with that portion of the tube which is empty.

2. A collapsible tube end take up attachmentv comprising a generally cylindrically formed plastic having an eccentric cylindrical hollow in terior, a slit forming a connection between the exterior and the interior of the attachment, said slit being formed in a wall of the attachment where the circumferential margin of the interior is closest to the exterior, whereby the attachment has the necessary spring to securely hold the end of a collapsible tube, said slit having a cutaway portion near one of its ends to facilitate engaging the attachment with the end of the tube.

3. A collapsible tube end take up attachment comprising a generally cylindrically formed plas- .necessary spring to securely hold the end of a collapsible .tube, said slit having a cutaway portion near one of its ends to facilitate engaging the attachment with the end of the tube.

4. A collapsible tube end take up device comprising a generally cylindrical body having an eccentric generally cylindrical hollow interior, a slit forming a connection between the exterior and the interior of the device, said slit being formed in a wall of the device where the circumferential margin of the interior is closest to the exterior, whereby the device has the necessary spring to securely hold the end of a collapsible tube.

5. A collapsible tube end take up device comprising a generally cylindrical body having an eccentrically disposed hollow interior, a slit forming a connection between the exterior and the interior of the device, said slit being formed in a wall of the device where the margin of the interior is generally closest to the exterior, whereby the device has the necessary spring to securely hold the end of a collapsible tube.

6. A collapsible tube end take up device comprising a body portion having an eccentrically disposed hollow interior, a slit forming a connection between the exterior and the interior of the body portion, said slit being formed in a wall of .the device where the margin of the interior is generally closest to the exterior, whereby the device has the necessary spring to securely hold the end of the collapsible tube.

7. A collapsible tube end take up device comprising a curved body portion having an .eccentrically disposed hollow interior, a slit forming a connection between the exterior and the interior of the body portion, said slit being formed in a wall of the device where the margin of the interior is generally closest to the exterior, whereby the device has the necessary spring to hold the end of a collapsible tube.

ALBERT H. JUNG. 

